Stupid Questions...

I've heard all my life when attending school and seminars that there is no such thing as a stupid question. I don't believe that at this point in my life. I'm not sure if my kids need more academics this summer (4 horus a day at the school must not be enough) or if they are becoming vegetables, but here are a few examples of MANY I've heard lately, that I whole heartedly believe are stupid questions...

Child: (after touching a door knob at a friends house asked) How do I open the door?
Me: Turn the knob!

Child: (Holding an armful of siblngs toys) Where does this go?
Me: In your brother's/sister's bedroom.

Child: Where should I put Dad's scriptures?

PAUSE FOR A MINUTE!! We have been reading scriptures as a family...periodically at times...since the kids were BORN! In every home we have EVER lived in, they have always gone in the SAME PLACE!

Me: Are you really even asking me this question?
Child: Yes! I don't know where they go.
Me: Please put them on Dad's night table. AND please don't ever ask me that question again as long as you live!

Child: Do I have to use soap when I wash the dishes?

Child: How come we have to change our clothes EVERYDAY?

Child: Wouldn't it be better if you let us watch TV and play Xbox all day, instead of waiting until 4?

Child: Can I baptize Baylee? (She's our cat.) We'll be having another FHE lesson on priesthood authority and I'll throw in a little side note about baptizing animals...that side note will be that we don't do it!

Child: Are we going to feed ________? (Insert child's sibling there.)

Child: Mom, do you want to play catch with me?
Me: Sure, I'll be out in just a few minutes.
Child: Can I stand on the roof and throw my football from there?
Me: Are you serious? REALLY?

Okay, so I realize I sound a little bit cranky. I'm actually not! I think I'm in total shock that so many questions, and many Many MANY more have come out of the mouths of my two babes recently.

I will say that I'm sure (I hope anyway) that part of it is just a stalling tactic to keep them from getting jobs done.

Has anyone else experienced this, this summer?

GOOD GRIEF!

Matthew: I can't get this fixed! (referring to the corner of his sheet that is not on his bed.)
Me: You have to get off the bed to do it.
Matthew: Will you help me do it? (He's just laying on his bed.)
Me: You want me to do it. (letting him know I knew he wouldn't be helping.)
Matthew: Sure! Thanks for offering.
Right now he's in bed, serenading us with his recorder. He plays a mean Mary Had a Little Lamb.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

I just wanted to wish my Dad, my Husband and all our 'Dad' friends out there a HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!! I hope your day is AWESOME!! As a tribute to my Dad and Ken, here are a couple of 'fatherly' facts about 2 of the most important men in my life.

*When my little brother turns 20 next month, that will end the 20 years straight of my Dad (an Mom) having teenage children. You want to talk to an expert?? I think they qualify.

*On Ken's first Father's, he had 2 children. I was VERY pregnant on Father's Day in 1998 and when Father's Day came around in 1999, Nicole was almost a year old and Matthew was 2 1/2 weeks old.

*Neither Ken nor my Dad think they are grown ups. My Dad professes to be 19 years old. (See previous comment about no more kids in their teens) Although Ken does gain a year in age each birthday, I often hear the same complaints come out of his mouth that I hear out of Matthew's...age 10. At times I really to think I'm the single mother of 3! (I wouldn't have it any other way.)
I love my Dad so much. He is the best Dad a girl could ask for.
I love Ken so much! I am grateful that I was able to sucker him into marrying me...the poor guy! He's still figuring out that I'm the best thing that ever happened to him.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

What's going on with Ken?

2 months ago Ken started having some weird pains that were causing us come worry. He'd have chest pains, shortness of breath and his left arm was causing him alot of discomfort. After much nagging on my part, he finally went to see a Dr. The Dr. ran many tests and ruled out a heart condition, but he was still concerned because during the tests, his Dr noticed that his left arm and lef were noticably weeker than his right. Ken was prescribed medication that would see if the pain he was feeling was resulting from a pinched nerve.

This last Friday (3 days ago) we were at the movies and both of his feet and his left arm fell asleep. He was having pain shoot up his left leg and his arm was bothering him. He sent a text to the Dr and was told to continue taking the medication and then was instructed to go to Emergency Room if his symptoms got worse. Saturday the sympotons got worse. He could hardly get out of bed. When was walked his left leg dragged behind him and his vision was blurry/double. He also had slurred speech. The idea of a stroke entered our mind more than once, but we also knew that the Dr was testing him for MS or a Brain Tumor. When Ken got out ot the car his left was so weak he couldn't lift it to get in the car. I actually had to lift it for him so he could get in.

When we got to the ER, the Dr did some strength tests and I was shocoked to see how weak his left side was. Along with the symptoms I stated previous, he was also experiencing pain in his eyes and behind is his eyes in his head. In the last 2 months he's put on nearly 25 pounds. When you touch his left foot it was causing pain to his ankle. It seems I'm m issing a sympton or 2, but I just don't remember right now. ANYWAY,

After the resources at our local hospital were exhausted Ken was transfered to a bigger hospital an hour away and admitted. Here they ordered an MRI and got him an appt. with a Nurologist. We figured they were going to let us know if he has MS or a Brain Tumor because everything else was ruled out. Scary, I know.

Saturday night they gave Ken medication for pain and ihe had a serious reaction to it. He turned completely red and his chest had so much pain they wondered if it was causing a heart attack. That night during the attack they took heart enzymes and then gave him another CT Scan. His heart and CT turned out good and they added dilauded to his medication allergy list.

Sunday they took him in for his MRI and they scanned his brain and spine for 3 HOURS. We waited all day for the results and then they said he's find out in the morning.

This morning the Nurologist came in and told him that his MRI came out all good. He said he can't explain why he's been having all this pain but we shold look at it as a good thing that there were no obvious tumors or MS. Ken has been referred as an outpatient to another Nurologist. (I'm not sure what he can do that this one hasn't, but that is why I'm not a doctor.)

SO...as it stands right now, we don't know what it wrong with him. We DO know that he does not have a tumor. Truthfully, that was my biggest concern.

When we finally do figure out was is wrong, I'll let you all know. Since we have dragged you along to worry with us, I want to thank all of your for your prayers, phone calls, and concern. Until then, please just keep him in your prayers!

Dedra

It's a GOOD thing I blog!

Last night I spent a couple hours uploading pictures/videos and informing my fan club what has been going on at our home. In the end I got really sleepy (it was aftger midnight) and I decided to finish this morning.

When I got up I turned my computer on tried to open my memory card back up (From my camara) and NOTHING! It kept saying I had to format it. A couple of things came to my mind. #1, Why didn't I move all those pics to my hard drive like I normally do. #2, Shoot! I can't even remember what I didn't get blogged yet.

As I was rereading the posts I did last night, my memory was jolted and I do remember what I hadn't shared yet, so here goes...sadly without pictures.

Last Saturday we spent the day with our friends in Lyons, eating good food, riding quads and just hanging out. It was Angie's Birthday. Here is where I'd insert Ken singing Happy Birthday Opera Style (worse/better) that he did for Matthew. Also you'd see our Christmas Card picture of all of us on quads. Sadly, this will no longer the Christmas Card picture unless I can improve my drawing skills.

I did convert one of the movies from that day last night, and I'm glad I have it! The video below is of all the kids jumping on the trampeline. In the background you will see the beginnings of our lightening storm that ended up lasting until 4am. Try to figure out what the kids are saying...

Rain, rain, come again. Bring to us a hurricane.

We lost the rest of the pics from the dentist and a video I had of Matthew's rocket going up.

Other happenings at our house...

My stamp mess is put away and I've traded it for a sewing mess. I was given ALOT of fabric so I'm trying my hand at designing...again. Some things have been disasterous, a couple so embarrassing I didn't show Ken and I've made a couple really cute skirts...no patterns for the designs. Pictures will be coming soon, after I am done, Nicole will do a fashing show.

Ken has been in the hospital since Saturday. We're not sure what is wrong yet, but I'll post about it when we do. Just keep him in your prayers until then.

and I think that's all folks!

Don't forget my Colie!

I feel like my blog is uneven lately. So many posts about Matthew, and Nicole is just in the shadow somewhere. Her birthday is coming up so she will definately have her turn in the lime light. Until then, here are some pictures of my best girl...

My Rocket Boy

Matthew got a rocket for his birthday. He built it himself and then he and Ken went to shoot it off. Sadly it didn't work that night. Something about a faulty little metal thingy. Obviously I'm not sure of the real name. The other night we went and tried again. This was our activity after FHE. After 2 unsuccessful tries, the 3rd one was a charm. Too bad the parachute didn't work, we never found the rocket. Good thing he has a spare!

Kitten Update

The kittens are 4 weeks old now...All little furballs. They have started to walk around the laundry room and a couple of them love to hear their voices.

The Mom moved them a week or so ago and we actually thought one of the neighborhood huligans came in the house and stole them. (He suggested the idea earlier in the week.)

We have 2 girls and 3 boys. Nicole loves them, Matthew enjoys watching them occasionally, Ken also loves them, I'm counting down 2 more weeks then sianara little furballs, and if they want the mom too, they can have her!

Matthew at the dentist...

By the time Matthew had cut 7 teeth as a baby, we knew there was going to be touble with his mouth/teeth. Where everyone has 4 front bottom teeth, Matthew has 5. As his teeth grew in, they were sideways and just really crooked and one of them grew in rotten. At this trip to the dentist, they were fixing his 'mutant tooth'. *If the video isn't working then come back in a bit. It has to finish processing on YouTube. (It was too big to upload straight to blogger.)

Our dentist is AWESOME. He's funny and he takes the time to explain what is going on with the kids. There are a couple of pictures and a video from the dentist. The video is kind of long so don't feel obligated to watch it, I just wanted to put it here because he is a part of Matthew's adventure to straight teeth...

The tooth in front of the last tooth on the left side is the 'mutant tooth' that the dentist has drilled down to almost nothing.

This is Matthew with his dentist.

He just has to lose 3 more teeth then head gear!

More clips from 'My Life" the musical.

My Right Hand Girl

A couple of days ago Nicole helped me do some extra cleaning and then she helped make dinner. When we were sitting down to eat, I told her thank you. She asked if she a good helper, and I said, ' Yes, you are my right hand girl!' She replied...'No Mom, I'm left handed.'

This and That IV

*Ken is home from Emporia...TO STAY! hopefully. He's been away from home 33 days since March 1st.
*I have to go to the dentist tomorrow, the first time since we lived in Grandview, Washington...6 years ago. I was excited about it...not so much anymore.
*Matthew also has to go to the dentist tomorrow, it's his last appointment before he enters the wonderful world of orthadontia! Yea Head Gear!
*The kids are in Summer School for the month of June. Mon.-Thurs. 8-12. Nicole loves it, Matthew thinks they invented it just to torture him.
*While Ken was gone last week for 4 days I had a few of my friends over to stamp with me. When I say a few, I mean that my house pretty much had a revolving door for the 4 days. At least 7 hours each day I had 1 friend, sometimes up to 3 over, with our without their children and we played. I stamped for 35 hours!! It was so much fun.
*I'm going to start selling Stampin' Up again, hopefully beginning this fall. I LOVED selling it! I was good at it and I actually made money. I actually spent all the money on more stamps, but I did make money! The only reason I quit was because we had just moved to ORegon and I didn't know how to continue my business when I didn't know anyone. I didn't want to bombard the girls in my ward...I needed friends! So anyway, I'm super excited about it.
*My little brother is moving to Cheboygan Michigan and he'll be visiting next Wednesday. I haven't seen him in at least 3 years, so that should be fun.
*Nicole and I rented the movie Penelope with Christina Ricci and Reese Witherspoon. It was super cute! Rent it. You'll like it. You can also watch it instantly on Netflix if you have that.
*Nicole was so excited to see Home Depot, she took a picture of it and asked if we could go in and look at the paint choices. I LOVE HER!
I think that's all for now!

Highlights from Matthew's Birthday...

Matthew wanted Steak and French Fries for dinner, so that's what he got. I think he was hoping for the Applebees variety, but this tasted a lot better.

Matthew is an airplane FANATIC! He knows a ton of stuff about aviation and what he doesn't know, he has no problem making up as he goes along. This is his cake. I just looked at alot of pictures on google at airports and made it up. When he looked at it he informed me that it's a taxi-way and a landing pad. I knew about the landing pad. MAF is the code for his Airport...Matthew's Air Field.

It was a fun night. He loved the gifts he recieved and after we were done with cake, we rushed him over to the church for Cub Scouts. He's now a Weblo.

Riding Backwards Takes More Skill. ?

While we were at the Patee Museum, some of the kids wanted their picture taken on a horse in front of the Carousel. My nephew, Devon wanted his pic taken, but he rode it backwards, because that takes more skill.

I told him he was right, it does take alot of skill to drive a horse's behind. I thought I was clever.

A Super Fun Day!

Yesterday I was able to spend the WHOLE DAY with my Sister, Wendi and her famdango. They have been on vacation in Missouri/Illinois/Iowa/etc for the last week and when they got to Kansas City for a couple of nights we went over to see them. The kids and I picked Ken up from Emporia on Monday and then drove over to KCK to spend the night and then the day with them.

The night we got there we went swimming and ordered pizza.

The next morning we went to Leavenworth, KS. We saw the Federal Penn and were able to get on base. Larry (My Brother in Law) said it was the easiest base he's ever gotten on. He works on a Military Base in Washington.

While we were on the base we were able to go to the Ft. Leavenworth Museum, see the National Cemetary, we got a tour of a base housing neighborhood(Courtesy of Ken's shortcut LOL!), and while en route, Wendi got to take a photo of the Base Fire Station.

Next we went to St. Joseph, MO and toured the Patee Museum. It was AWESOME! The picture of our famdango at the top of the blog right now was taken in that museum in front of an old horse pulled hearse. It was awesome. A little morbid side note...there was a toe pincher casket in that hearse that was child sized and they had a doll in it that you could see. Weird!

We were able to visit the Fire Museum in St. Jo as well. I enjoy seeing Fire Trucks. I like lights and sirens as much as the next person. I'm not going to lie...I'm a gawker when it comes to accidents on the road and I've followed a truck before. My BIL Larry is a Fireman. So was his Dad, so was his Grandpa. Larry LOVES seeing Fire Trucks. HoWeVeR, It was difficult to enjoy the tour guide who was79 (he told us),retired from a Fire Station, seriously quizzing Larry down about procedure and the names/job of each member of the crew. It was funny, he couldn't keep Wendi and I straight (Because we look so much a like! HA HA) and he didn't like Ken's profession (A Mortician)so he didn't talk to him much. That could be because when Tommy asked Ken if he was a Fireman too, he replie, "No, I'm a mortician. I step in when you're done.) Our 45 minutes tour could have lasted 3 minutes. When it was over, Larry went back with our guide, Tommy, and bought a shirt. The guide was persistant that I help Larry find the shirt that he wants and I told him he could get it himself. I reminded him I wasn't his wife...he never really figured it out. We all ended up leaving Larry there and we got the kids loaded back into our cars and then Ken said someone should probably rescue Larry, but no one was willing to go in! He came about 5 minutes later. It added some spice to our day.

The highlight of the day for me was when we went to Liberty Jail. It was my 2nd visit and I already can't wait to go back.

We got back to the hotel around 6 I think. We all went swimming again, then Ken and I left for home around 8-8:15. We got home at 1 O'clock this morning. It was a super fun day.

Happy Birthday to my BEST BOY!

Me: Matthew, are you excited for your birthday on Wednesday.
Matthew: Yes, but I'm not going to be single anymore!
Me: (puzzled) How come?
Matthew: (duh!) Because I'm going into the double digits!

Matthew is 10 years old today. This also means that for the next 40 days I'll have 2 10 year olds! Then Nicole will turn 11.

Happy Birthday Matthew! I love you more than you can even know.

Nicole got a haircut...

I LOVE IT!

Better late than never...

*I thought I posted this over a week ago!! It is even MORE late than I thought. SORRY GINA!

My sister, Gina, turned 23 about 6 months ago...Just kidding, on the 8th of May. At that time, my computer was still giving me grief, so I told Gina it would be a little late. I didn't think it'd be this late, but anyway...

Gina is my only sister younger than me. For most of her life I didn't enjoy having her around but once she got older and became a human we have become close friends.
Some of my favorite memories with her are:

*Singing primary songs opera stlye.
*She introduced me to Stuart when we were sitting in a restaraunt and she put her foot in my face at the booth and informed to 'say that into the microphone'
*I was with Gina the first time I ever...
-Went to Missouri.
-Rode to the top of the Space Needle.
-Did a photo shoot in a public place (Costco, in the camping area)
-Went to Multnomah Falls
-The list could continue...

Every year for the last 3 years Gina and I have taken our picture together at the beach. We didn't mean for this become a tradition, but it has and I look forward to the visit to WA and the
beach each year.

Gina I love you so much! I hope your birthday is amazing (was amazing) and that you know how awesome you are. I also hope that you were able to break away from your twilight books long enough to read this. :)

Here are some pics of Gina and I...

*This video is a rerun, but I LOVE IT!